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FAQs.

Yes. Three-clearance.co.uk is Three’s only official clearance website. Any handset that you purchase through three-clearance.co.uk is bought from Hutchison 3G UK LTD – owner and operator of the Three network – just like any other phone bought from Three. Click to find out more about Three, or about three-clearance.co.uk.

Refurbished phones are handsets that have been previously sold and then returned to us under our Returns Policy. We test them thoroughly to make sure they’re in perfect working order before we resell them at much lower prices, so it’s a good way to get a high-quality phone for less money.

What is a ‘Refreshed’ phone?

A refreshed phone is an Apple iPhone that has been through Three’s return and refurbishment process, just like a refurbished handset. It also comes with all of the same warranties and guarantees as a refurbished phone.

What is the difference between ‘Clearance’ and ‘Refurbished/Refreshed’?

All of our phones are part of Three’s clearance range, but refurbished handsets are specifically the ones that have been through Three’s return and refurbishment process. Non-refurb clearance phones that we stock include excess stock of new phones, and new phones marked as end of line.

Phones that aren’t new are clearly marked as ‘Refurbished’ or ‘Refreshed’

Can I upgrade to a Refurbished phone?

If you’re an existing Three customer you won’t be able to move to a Three Clearance refurb deal by upgrading your existing pay as you go, SIM only or pay monthly plan. Refurbished deals can only be purchased as new contracts, which means that you’ll receive a new mobile number along with your phone.

If you’re currently on Three pay as you go, or any plan from another mobile network, you can port your old number to your new refurb phone. Unfortunately this isn’t possible when moving from one Three pay monthly contract to another.

Has my Refurbished phone been used?

Three’s Return Policy allows the handset to be switched on, so returned phones will almost certainly have been used. However, all handsets that go through the rigorous refurbishment process have a full factory reset performed as standard, so there won’t be any trace of previous use.

Why was my Refurbished phone sent back?

There are a number of reasons a customer might return a phone to us. These include (but are not strictly limited to):

Someone exercising their Statutory Rights

Customer changing their minds after purchase

Sales experience

Was my Refurbished phone faulty?

A small proportion of returned phones are sent back to us with a suspected fault. If we confirm that the phone is faulty, and it isn’t accepted as a return by the manufacturer, we will fully and thoroughly repair it in accordance with the manufacturer’s processes.

Note: We do not resell phones that haven’t been fully repaired.

Is my Refurbished phone damaged?

A number of returns may have some signs of use (i.e. minor wear and tear), but any marks, dents or scratches are reworked and repaired during the refurbishment process. All damaged parts and cosmetics (e.g. plastics, LCDs) will be completely replaced.

Is anything missing from the box?

Refurbished handsets are shipped with the following:

Back cover

Battery

Charger

Headset

The package may also include a memory card, user guide & CD-ROM – depending on which phone you purchase. To find out more about what you’ll receive in the box, read about it here.

What has happened to the phone since it was returned?

All returned phones go through a fully comprehensive screening process. The phone is fully reworked, the latest software installed (with the newest updates applied), and the whole thing re-packaged.

Most contracts with Three come with a specified monthly allowance of any-network anytime minutes, a number of texts and a certain amount of data included. If you exceed your allowance, there is usually an extra charge for the additional usage, which will be applied to your monthly bill. You can find out more about these charges in our full Three Price Guide.

Will I be charged once I’ve used up all of my monthly allowance?

Once your monthly allowance limit has been hit, you will be charged standard rates for making calls, sending text messages and using the internet on your handset. Details of all charges can be found in full within our Three Price Guide.

Is there a spending cap so I don’t go over my limit?

To help you manage your monthly spend, we put a regularly reviewed credit limit on your account. If you get near your limit, we’ll send a text to your phone to let you know, as we limit some services when you go over your credit limit.

If you have been a Three customer since before March 18th, 2014, we may have offered you a zero spending cap. This means:

Once you have used up your minutes and texts in your allowance, you won’t be able to make any outgoing calls or texts from your phone.

Regardless of your remaining allowance, there are some numbers which you’ll always be charged for calling and testing while you have a zero spending cap in place. These include:

Calls to directory enquiries

Premium numbers (for example, those starting with 090)

International numbers or texts

Texting shortcodes for things like competitions.

We cannot guarantee that the zero spending cap will always work. For example, it may not work if you use your phone abroad, or if we’re carrying out important system maintenance.

You are also able to set a 'reminder text' which will let you know when you're just about to hit your Data allowance, so you'll know to stop using it until the next month.

3G is the third generation of phone standards and technology. Three’s 3G network was designed for using the internet on your phone, and getting Mobile Broadband on your computer or tablet. 3G gives you much faster speeds and a better experience when making calls or texting other phones, than the older 2G. All phones sold by Three have 3G connectivity.

4G is the fourth generation of the above, and is a step up from the 3G coverage that most smartphones currently provide. In areas where this network has already rolled out, Three’s 4G network will be even faster than many home broadband connections, which average at 9.6Mbps, compared to the amazing 100Mbps that’s achievable on 4G.

How good is the internet on mobile phones?

Our 3G (and our new 4G rollout) network has been designed for using mobile internet, unlike 2G networks. This means that with us here at Three, it’s easy for our customers to get the very best from the mobile internet on your phone.

Some benefits of our 3G/4G network on your handset:

Upload photos to the internet up to eight times faster than on 2G

Receive and make calls while using the mobile internet

Download apps at super-fast rates

Experience smoother video playback with minimum lag

Access music streams just like on your computer

How does Data work?

Your data allowance works just like the minute and text allowances. As you use your handset to connect to the internet for various reasons, data will be used up at different rates. Once the amount of data you have used is equal to the amount of data you have paid for via your plan, you may incur extra charges.

Data use varies with activity; browsing a couple of web pages or checking your gmail account won’t make much of a dent, but streaming video or audio through your handset will eat up a lot more. To look at this in more detail, take a look at ‘How much data do I need?’ further down this page.

Can I read and send emails on my phone?

Sending and receiving email from a Three handset is easy. All of our phones come with push email – which means emails are sent automatically to your handset. You simply need to enter your email account settings when prompted, (and add more than one if you require it!) and then you can read and send emails as though you were on a computer.

To find out more detailed information about setting up email accounts on a specific handset, visit our Devices Support page and select your phone.

Can I tether using my phone?

You can use the internet when you’re out and about with other devices such as laptops, tablets and games consoles, by connecting them through Wi-Fi or USB to your phone (known as tethering). Tethering is capped at 8GB per month if you’re on an All-You-Can-Eat data plan.

What is All-You-Can-Eat data?

All-You-Can-Eat data is part of The One Plan via SIM, or on one of our other select tariffs per handset. With All-You-Can-Eat data you can download apps, browse the web, look at maps and check emails as often as you like without worrying about going over tour data allowance.

How much data do I need?

Here’s a quick breakdown of how much data is used for each action:

Loading a web page uses less than 1MB of data

Streaming a 4-minute song uses approximately 6MB

Five minutes of streaming a video from Youtube could use up to 15MB.

If you use your handset as your primary way of connecting to the internet, answering emails and watching videos online, then an All-You-Can-Eat data plan is the best option for you. But if you simply check emails, update your social feeds and occasionally search the web without watching YouTube or BBC iPlayer, then either 500MB or 1GB should be plenty. (And of course, if you sit in the middle of these two examples, 2GB should be right up your street!)

Absolutely! We understand how irritating it is to have to regain all of your contacts, so we’re made it easy for you to keep your existing number when you move to Three.

First, you will need to let your old network provider know you’re leaving, and ask them for your PAC (Port Authorisation Code). Then, once you’ve received your brand new Three Clearance handset, you just need to fill out a simple ONLINE FORM with Three.

As well as your PAC, you will also need:

Your existing mobile number, and your new Three number

Your email address

The name of your old network provider.

When you have filled in Three’s online Number Move form, you should be able to start using the same number again within 1-2 working days.

It is important to note, that in order to transfer your number, you will need to keep your account active with your old provider until it has been switched over. You will also lose any credit attached to your old account.

Still unsure? Here’s a handy video for you to take a look at:

Do I need insurance?

If you have purchased one of Three’s excellent handsets, it’s likely that replacing that phone could cost anywhere between £100 and £600. So you may want insurance if you think you’re likely to lose or damage your phone (or just for peace of mind!), and won’t be able to afford to replace it by yourself. Three Mobile have recently launched our Three Rescue™ policy, which can help you if your handset gets lost, damaged or stolen. For further information about this, check out the Three Rescue™ page.

Can I use my phone abroad?

If your handset is quad-band, it means that you will be able to use it almost anywhere in the world; if your phone is tri-band, then it can be used in Europe. We let you know on each phone’s specification page where it can be used. You may be charged roaming rates when you call to or from abroad. It is always important to check your My3 account before you go away, as there may be some settings on your handset which require changing.

Three have a wonderful ‘Feel At Home’ feature, which enables its customers to utilise their regular Pay-Monthly allowance when at any of the set destinations. Feel At Home works automatically when you arrive in one of Three’s agreed destinations. Simple make sure your device and international roaming are both switched on. You will receive a text, confirming the standard international roaming charges, then a text confirming that calls and texts back to the UK, as well as using data, will not cost you extra. If you are not on a plan which includes this benefit, then Three’s roaming charges are still very cost-effective:

Calls back to UK numbers are 20p per minute

Text messages back to the UK are 7p per text

Data is 10p per MB

What are the out of tariff charges?

Details of all of our out of tariff charges can be found in full on page 19 in our Three Price Guide.